Frontiers in Veterinary Science (Aug 2023)

Differences in selected blood parameters between brachycephalic and non-brachycephalic dogs

  • Sandra Kämpf,
  • Sandra Kämpf,
  • Sandra Kämpf,
  • Simone Fenk,
  • Simone Fenk,
  • Ankie Van Cromvoirt,
  • Ankie Van Cromvoirt,
  • Nikolay Bogdanov,
  • Nikolay Bogdanov,
  • Sonja Hartnack,
  • Martina Stirn,
  • Regina Hofmann-Lehmann,
  • Regina Hofmann-Lehmann,
  • Iris Margaret Reichler,
  • Anna Bogdanova,
  • Anna Bogdanova

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2023.1166032
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 10

Abstract

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IntroductionCranial and upper-airway anatomy of short-nosed, flat-faced brachycephalic dogs predisposes them to brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS). Periodic apnoea increased inspiratory resistance, and an inability to thermoregulate effectively are characteristic of BOAS, but internationally accepted objective markers of BOAS severity are missing. The objective of this study was to compare the selected blood parameters between non-brachycephalic (NC) and brachycephalic (BC) dogs, exploring the possibility of developing a blood test for BOAS severity grading in the future.MethodsWe evaluated blood biochemistry, complete blood cell counts, red blood cell (RBC) indices, reticulocyte counts, a blood-born marker of intermittent hypoxia (glutathione, NO production), RBC hydration, deformability, and blood markers of metabolic changes and stress between BC (n = 18) and NC (meso- and dolichocephalic, n = 22) dogs.ResultsReticulocyte counts and the abundance of middle-fluorescence immature reticulocytes were significantly (p < 0.05) higher in BC dogs compared to NC dogs. BC dogs had significantly more NO-derived NO2-/NO3- in plasma than NC dogs. RBCs of BC dogs were shedding significantly more membrane, as follows from the intensity of eosin maleimide staining, and had a significantly higher mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration than NC dogs. Intracellular reduced glutathione content in RBCs of BC dogs was significantly lower, while plasma lactate was significantly higher in BC dogs compared to NC dogs. Plasma cholesterol and triglycerides were significantly lower, and cortisol was significantly higher in BC dogs compared to NC dogs. Eosinophil counts were significantly lower and the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio was higher in BC dogs compared to NC dogs.DiscussionTaken together, our findings suggest that the brachycephalic phenotype in dogs is associated with alterations at the level of blood cells and, systemically, with oxidation and metabolic changes. The parameters identified within this study should be further investigated for their potential as objective indicators for BOAS.

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